


Like a Sister

by Shorewall



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-03-30 14:20:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13953411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shorewall/pseuds/Shorewall
Summary: Chloe is like a sister to Adrien.  But doessheknow that?





	1. Prologue

“ _Adrien!_ ” The call pierced the general murmur of the schoolyard.

Adrien noticed his friends wincing as Chloe’s trademark call rang out. Adrien himself was used to it from childhood, but as he’d become friends with Nino, Alya, and Marinette, he’d come to see how Chloe was viewed by the class in general, and the ways that she could be cruel.

“Hey Chloe,” he smiled precisely. While he was starting to understand the flaws of his childhood friend, that didn’t mean that he felt inclined to abandon her. If only he could use this new found knowledge to influence her for good.

“Hello, dearest Adrien!” Chloe cooed, sickeningly sweet. Then she turned to the others, and her model quality face scrunched. “Hey, losers.” 

Marinette scowled and Nino rolled his eyes, but Alya actually stood up. “Hello yourself, _Queen Bee_ ,” Alya snarked, folding her arms and returning Chloe’s disdainful look. Alya usually didn’t care enough about classroom politics to make fighting Chloe a priority, but when it came to her friends, her hackles rose.

They faced off, trading glares that could drill through stone, until Adrien intervened. “So, Chloe, you wanted something?” Chloe turned on a dime and switched back to her “Adrien” face. Alya rolled her eyes and let it go. 

“Adrien, you’re coming over today, right? Daddy is having the chef prepare a special dinner of _Coq au vin_. It will be magnifique!” Chloe fluttered her lashes. “And intimate, no hangers on.”

Adrien sighed with relief. That was no big deal. “Sure, sounds great! I’ll have my driver bring me by. Dress code?”

Chloe giggled. “I want you to be comfortable, dear Adrikins. No dress code. I know you’ll be impeccable in whatever.” Marinette, Nino, and Alya, who had been watching in apprehension, began to relax, sensing that the encounter was almost over. But then Chloe moved forward, pecking Adrien on either cheek.

“Chloe!” Adrien laughed bashfully. Alya looked at Marinette, and saw her clenching a pencil.

“See you then, _mon amour_ ,” Chloe breathed, giving a wink as she turned and sauntered off.

Nino and Adrien let out a tandem sigh. “Well, I guess that went ok,” Adrien said. “So I guess I’ll be hanging out with Chloe tonight,” he explained as he turned back to the group.

Nino smiled, rueful and good natured. Alya smiled, shaking her head in mild exasperation. Marinette…did not smile.

“Marinette, are you ok?” Adrien asked, confused. Alya and Nino turned to her, and Alya twitched.

“It’s ok, Mari,” Alya jumped in. “We can have fun on our own! It’ll be a girl’s night out!” Alya was trying to be upbeat, but there was an underlying tone of frantic. Oh, had Marinette wanted to hang out? Adrien felt guilty. Maybe he should say something-

“Why?”

“Huh?” Adrien, Alya, and Nino responded, simultaneously. 

“Why do I want to hang out with you?” Alya questioned uncertainly. But Marinette ignored her, instead leveling a steady gaze at Adrien. Her blue eyes were clearer than he had ever seen.

“Why do you let Chloe treat you that way?”

Nino gulped, looking like he was about to jump and run. Alya was cutting her eyes back and forth between Adrien and Marinette, like she was watching a car wreck in slow motion. Adrien felt sweat stand out on his forehead. The tension was suddenly suffocating.

“Chloe? What about her?” Adrien smiled. It was an innocuous question, on its own, but the way Marinette asked had given it added weight.

“M-m-Mari! I’ve got something I need to talk to you about!” Alya stammered, waving at her seated friend. It was almost like she wanted to change the subject.

“Sure, we can end here,” Nino agreed. “You’ve probably got girl stuff to talk about. Stuff us guys don’t want to hear.”

“Yeah!” Alya laughed, while leveling Nino with a grinning death glare.

Adrien felt like he had to be in a dream. Everyone was acting so strange! But he focused on Marinette, who, though she was acting strange, at least seemed earnest.

“You let her kiss you, and hang all over you,” Marinette spoke in a low voice, and her gaze dropped. “Are you two really…like that?” Alya let out a pained squeal, and Nino just stared at the ground.

“Like what?” Adrien asked, not in confusion, not anymore, but in denial. She couldn’t be asking…what he thought she was…could she? Could it be that confusing, even to his close friends?

“ _Sigh_ , she’s asking if you two are an item,” Alya stated. The attention of the table had turned to him again. Nino looked up from his side. Alya leveled her gaze, subdued, lacking its usual energy. And Marinette looked up from under her lashes, shy, waiting expectantly.

Adrien shivered. So much pressure! But it was such a light matter! “Chloe and I aren’t an item,” he stated. Alya and Marinette sighed with relief, and Nino seemed to be thinking.

“She is a very important person to me,” Adrien continued. Alya gasped and quickly looked at Marinette, but she and Nino were both watching Adrien intently, waiting for more explanation. “It’s like…She was the first friend I ever had. And she’s been my friend for longer than anyone. She’ll always hold a special place in my heart.”

“But sometimes we have to move on from old friendships,” Alya began.

“No!” Adrien cut back, suddenly angry, and he couldn’t tell exactly why. He noticed Marinette tugging on Alya’s shirt and shaking her head.

“I-” Adrien began, “look, I know that Chloe can be mean. She can be selfish.” Alya quieted down, and now everyone was paying attention. Adrien had this chance to set the record straight. He just hoped he could find the right words.

“She came into my life, when I needed a friend the most." Adrien paused, remembering. "And her just... _being_ there...meant the world to me. I knew…that she could understand what I was going through.” Everyone ducked their heads at the reminder that Adrien had lost his mother, and that Chloe had as well. Even if they still couldn’t understand how the two could turn out so different from the experience.

“I want her to be better,” Adrien continued. “I know that I need to be a better friend, and help her see the error of her ways.” Adrien felt the guilt of knowing that he had often turned a blind eye to her worse traits. He’d known that it was a problem, but it hadn’t been _his_ problem, so it had been easier to ignore it. He grimaced in shame. It was only now that his other friends, who were no less important, were questioning his relationship with Chloe, that he realized he couldn’t keep the status quo. He needed to act if he wanted these two parts of his life to go forward in harmony.

“Does any of that…make sense?” Adrien faltered as he finished. He’d said what he wanted to say, but he wondered if it made sense outside of his head.

Alya and Nino were nodding hesitantly, wowed more by his fervor than by his words. He looked at Marinette, who returned his gaze. “It does,” Marinette replied. Adrien smiled. “She’s someone very special to you.” It came out in a near whisper, and Marinette bowed her head in resignation.

“NO!” Adrien shouted. Everyone looked at him in shock. “I mean, yes, that’s right, but Marinette, you’re special to me too!” Adrien wanted his true feelings to be understood, as he reached out and took Marinette’s hands.

Marinette froze again, as the color drained from her face. Alya leapt up from the table like she had been burned, sputtering. Nino gaped from his seat. Adrien didn’t know what was going on, but he could tell his message was getting lost in translation. _Time to keep digging_ , he thought.

“And Alya,” he said, turning to the other girl. Alya stood up straight at the mention. He took one of her hands. “You’re special to me as well.” He smiled, in what he hoped was a disarming manner. Alya blushed, but seemed to understand. Marinette watched them evenly.

Then Adrien turned to Nino. “And Nino, you’re special to me.” The girls stiffened with a blush at that.

Nino smiled. “Thanks man, you know we’re homies.”

Now the tension was broken. Marinette smiled again. “Thanks, Adrien. I should have known better.”

“It’s ok,” Adrien replied, smiling. “I should have been clearer.” Alya seemed to have calmed down as well.

“But does she feel that way?”

Adrien froze. Alya and Marinette looked puzzled for a moment, before realization dawned on their faces. Adrien turned to look at Nino. “P-pardon?”

Nino was giving him a firm look. “I’m saying, you know how you feel, but do you know how she feels?”

Adrien cocked his head. Why would that be in question? “Of course she feels the same. Like I said, we’ve been friends forever.” He looked to the girls for backup, but they were apparently studying the architecture around them.

“I don’t know man, she acts pretty possessive of you,” Nino continued. “I get the vibe that she wants more than just friendship. Maybe you need to consider her feelings too.”

Adrien gaped, and Alya perked up. “Nino! Adrien doesn’t need to spend any more time thinking about that...that _girl_ than he needs to.”

Nino fixed her with his steady gaze. “Adrien just told us how much he cares about Chloe, as a long-time friend. It seems to me, a real friend would want to know these things.”

Now it was Alya’s turn to sputter.

“Nino’s right,” Marinette piped in. Adrien turned to her with wide eyes. She hesitated, and then met his eyes with her clear expression. “Adrien, I think Chloe feels like you two are something more, and that’s why we all thought so too. And if you don’t return those feelings,” then Marinette stopped short. A pained expression flitted across her features. “If you don’t feel the same, then you should tell her,” Marinette finished.

Adrien stared back at her, then his shoulders slumped. “What you’re all saying makes sense, but how? How do I do this? I have no idea!”

Alya smirked. “Just go up to her and say, ‘Bye Felicia!’” Nino laughed, and Marinette jumped up, scandalized.

Adrien just looked confused. “But that’s not her name.” Nino laughed even harder, and Alya was smiling wide at her own joke. Marinette giggled a bit, but then sobered up and grabbed Alya, dragging her off.

“Well, I’m sure you two can figure it out! We’ve got some other things to do,” Marinette called back to them as she bodily dragged Alya away from their table. She looked at Nino. “I’m counting on you!”

Adrien glanced down to his friend, and Nino, for his part, groaned. “I gotta do this? What a pain.”

Adrien sat down, his head spinning. He had just opened up his real emotions to his friends, and while nerve racking, it had been a positive experience. And they had been able to show him new things too. But he was still unsure as to how to proceed. After a moment, he turned to Nino, who was watching him. Nino startled, then settled down in resignation.

“Ok-” “So-”

They paused, then laughed. Nino nodded to Adrien, extending his hand. Adrien nodded back, smiling. If he was going to have this conversation, he was glad it was with his easy going friend.

“So, you’re saying that you think Chloe might have… _a crush_ on me or something?” Adrien asked, barely able to put it into words.

Nino nodded calmly, as if it wasn’t a complete fantasy. “It would make sense. I honestly wondered about you two, especially since you didn’t set boundaries with her.”

“Set boundaries?” Adrien seized up. Was this his fault?

“Hey, cool it bro,” Nino replied, seeing the stress coming over his friend’s face. “It took a bit, but you set the record straight, with us at least. And who knows, maybe we’re wrong. But I think it’s worth it to go over it with Chloe. I mean, have you ever talked about it with her?”

“No, not really,” Adrien responded. “We’ve been in each other’s lives for so long, that it seemed so normal. I never expected it to change.”

“And you’ve never had a girlfriend, either,” Nino posited, almost more to himself.

“Ouch, man, what’s that got to do with it? I haven’t had the chance!” Adrien tried to defend.

Nino laughed. “Oh man, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that you wouldn’t have the experience to see it coming.”

“Oh,” Adrien said, “Yeah.”

“Ok, so our goals are as such: 1) ascertain how Chloe feels about your relationship. If she feels the same as you do, then no problem. (Or rather, the same problem she’s always been.) 2) If she is hung up on you, let her down gently. (Easier said than done.)” Nino nodded to himself. It always helped to have a plan.

Adrien seemed to be trying to work through the plan. “So, I just ask her how she feels about me? Straight out?”

“Straight out,” Nino replied. “No games, no beating around the bush. I might say different if you _did_ like her that way, but as it is, we’re not concerned about maintaining the mystique, so to speak.” Nino grinned.

“Ok, and if she says that she likes me…that way,” Adrien gulped, “what do I say? What do I do?”

Nino _hmmm’d_. “Are you sure you’re not interested in her at all?”

“Nino!” Adrien protested. “She’s like a sister to me!”

Nino brightened up at that. “Hey, that’s actually pretty good! You could use that line.”

“What line?” Adrien asked, confused.

“That she’s like a sister to you,” Nino answered. “That seems to match how you described your feelings to me. She’s important to you, she’ll never be replaced, but you aren’t romantically interested in her.”

Adrien beamed. “Hey, that sounds perfect! And you think it will work?” Nino’s unsure expression put a damper on Adrien’s enthusiasm. “It _won’t_ work?!”

Nino held up his hand. “I didn’t say it wouldn’t work, but it also isn’t a guarantee. You need to be ready for that.”

“For what?” Adrien asked, feeling a bit desperate.

“For Chloe to react…badly,” Nino grimaced, not wanting to imagine such a scenario, but able to all too well.

Adrien looked down, deep in thought. What he was considering could really jeopardize his relationship with Chloe. But the alternative was unacceptable. What if she was pining over him? He couldn’t return those feelings, and it would only hurt Chloe worse. And maybe, just maybe, clearing the air like this could be the start of Adrien rehabbing his old friend, maybe into someone who didn’t cause emotional death and destruction everywhere she went. In the end, there was only one choice.

“I’ll do it,” Adrien said, determined.

“Nice,” Nino replied, seeing the expression on Adrien’s face. “You got this bro. You know Chloe, and she’ll listen to you. Good luck, man.”

“Thanks, man,” Adrien smiled.

“So, you gonna bring it up tonight?” Nino asked as they stood from the table and prepared to leave.

“Tonight?” Adrien asked, confused.

“Yeah, at that special dinner at Chloe’s,” Nino explained. 

“Gack!” Adrien choked as he walked into the wall.


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien’s limo pulled up to _Le Grand Paris_ , as it had many times before.  Adrien walked past security, as he had many times before.  The security staff waved back at him and his bodyguard, Mr. Illa (first name Gor. Adrien made it a point to get to know his staff).  A family was checking in at the front desk as they entered.  The daughter of the family, who was about his age, recognized him and started making a fuss, but Mr. Illa led him directly over to the elevators.  As Adrien looked back, the girl’s mother had noticed her daughter and looked over at Adrien.  She did a double take, and then gave off a concerning type of smile, complete with lidded eyes.  It wasn’t the first time he’d seen that kind of look, even in women old enough to be his mother.

They took the express elevator, accessed by a security guard’s key, straight to the penthouse floors.  Adrien didn’t know what it was like to take the regular elevator.  It might be fun to ride up with other people, strangers.  Though he didn’t think Mr. Illa would care for it.  Mr. Illa seemed to be scared of crowds.

As they rode up in silence (Adrien was used to his bodyguard’s reticence), Adrien thought about what was coming up.  Dinner at _Le Grand_ was a semi-normal occurrence in his life.  Chloe showing off the hotel, the food, the staff (servants, as Chloe unfailingly referred to them).  It was impressive, but Adrien was used to such things.  His own house was the height of minimalist fashion, which Adrien preferred to the gaudy ostentatiousness of the hotel.  But then again, the kind of guests who stayed there would be ones who appreciated the glitz and glamour.

But enough of that, he had a mission to accomplish.  As Adrien had made friends with the  _normal_  kids of the _College Francoise Dupont_ , he had realized that the way Chloe acted wasn’t normal.  In fact, the way he had lived his whole life wasn’t normal.  And Adrien desperately wanted to be  _normal_.  (To be  _acceptable_ , to be  _good_.)  To fit into this brave new world that he had discovered.  

And to do that, he needed to have a serious talk with Chloe.  He could only hope that Nino, Alya, and Marinette were wrong about her.

***

“ _Adrikins!_ ” 

As Adrien exited the elevator, he turned to see Chloe strike a pose in the doorway to the penthouse dining room.  She leaned against the door frame in her customary flamboyant manner, lounging like a pampered house cat.  Adrien smiled at the thought.

“Hey Chloe, I hope I’m not late,” Adrien said.  He didn’t actually feel that way.  He knew he was on time, and he knew that Chloe wouldn’t be too mad even if he _was_ late.  It was just…a force of habit, a preemptive shield against… _whatever_.

“Nonsense, _mon amour_ , you are always the definition of grace and class,” Chloe replied, with her trademark smirk.  Adrien knew from his other friends that they considered that expression a harbinger of devious plotting.  But he had spent enough time with Chloe to know that it was more “resting smug face”.  And while he could sympathize with his friends dreading it, based off of what they had told him (and some things he had seen for himself), to him it conveyed a message of confidence and power.  Though she could be awkward, Chloe didn’t let life hold her back, something that Adrien was still working on.

“Aw, thanks, Chloe,” Adrien said, as Chloe put her hand on his arm, the two of them entering the dining room.  Adrien tensed slightly at her touch, hyper aware of what he needed to accomplish tonight.  His mind wanted to dismiss it, as Chloe always acted like they were on a stage.  It was just another example of Chloe being Bourgeois.  

But Adrien could tell that was his fear talking.  Nino was right that he needed to find out for sure.  Though Adrien wanted nothing more than for Chloe to laugh in his face when he asked her.

Chloe led him to the table and let him go to find his seat.  Adrien hesitated, and the thought occurred to him that he should hold out Chloe’s chair for her.  It came and went, and he shook his head to clear the strange thought.  Despite Chloe’s impressive bearing, she didn’t expect Adrien to stand on ceremony with her.  And he had never felt pressure to.  So why now?

Adrien shook his head, and took his own seat.  Chloe was already off and running on some topic from her day.  Adrien tried to pay attention, but she dropped names that he didn’t know, and honestly didn’t seem to care if he knew who she was talking about or not.  Adrien didn’t mind.  It just felt nice to be included.  His home life was quite a bit more…quiet.  Chloe’s casual confidence gave Adrien a point of reference for his own life.  And while he might never reach Chloe’s level (and maybe didn’t want to), he could move in that direction.  Maybe one day, he could even try to talk to his Lady, seriously.

Adrien nodded at the right times, laughed when Chloe laughed (even if he didn’t get the joke), and tried to be a good dinner guest.  During their conversation, Chloe put her hand on his arm while telling a joke, and it seared.  He stared at the intruding appendage, and tried to ignore the voices of his friends ringing in his head.

 _“Are you two really…like that?”_  

_“I get the vibe that she wants more than just friendship.  Maybe you need to consider her feelings too.”_

_“It seems to me, a real friend would want to know these things.”_

_“Adrien, I think Chloe feels like you two are something more, and that’s why we all thought so too.”_

_“Are you sure you’re not interested in her at all?”_

The world started spinning around Adrien.  Sweat popped up on his brow.  His heart was beating so hard that he was sure that Chloe would feel his pulse through his hand.  If not, then surely she would feel how clammy his hand had gotten.  This was crazy.  It certainly wasn’t  _normal_.  Adrien wanted to blame his friends for putting these thoughts into his head, but he realized that he couldn’t help wondering now.  He had to find out.  He had to do something.  He couldn’t take this anymore!

“Chloe-” he began.

“Dinner is served,” the butler announced as a female staff member wheeled in the serving tray.  As she passed Adrien, her eyes lingered uncomfortably.

“Ooo!” Chloe cooed, clapping her hands.

***

Adrien picked at his _Coq au vin_.  It was exquisite, but Adrien wasn’t in the mood to enjoy it.  Chloe often used the hotel’s catering staff to ply Adrien with new and exotic dishes.  It was interesting, but Adrien rarely felt like letting his guard down.  He had many responsibilities, both as Gabriel Agreste’s son, and as the superhero Cat Noir.  He needed to excel at his schoolwork, fulfill his modeling obligations, stick to his schedule as outlined by his father, and yet carve out some time to protect Paris as his alter ego.  And while he knew making time for Chloe needed to be part of his routine somewhere, it was difficult to just relax and enjoy the food that she provided.

And today, he had even more on his mind.  He raised his downcast eyes, from the congealing broth, to where Chloe was enthusiastically sampling the meal.  Adrien couldn’t fault her manners.  She didn’t take large bites or eat too fast.  She savored each morsel, smiling in enjoyment.  Then she would pat her mouth with the napkin, although Adrien didn’t notice any mess, before pausing a moment and then reaching her fork for something new.  To her, this meal was an experience, to be enjoyed.  It was actually something that Adrien wished he could do.  

So why couldn’t he?  He never felt this way with his other, newer friends.  They were so…clumsy, and awkward.  It took the pressure off, to be perfect.  Whereas Chloe…she was a part of his old world.  The one that was starting to crush him.  Especially compared with the freedom that Nino, Alya, and Marinette offered, to be something new, something different.  So why did he still care about Chloe so much?

Earlier, when he had defended her to his friends, those feelings had been genuine.  He need-  _wanted_  her in his life.  And yet here he sat, just the two of them, torn between that perfectionist mindset that his home life engendered in him, and the crushing awkwardness of trying to figure out if Chloe, yes, _that Chloe_ , was harboring some sort of twisted crush on him!  The thought caused shivers to run down his spine.

Despite the fact that Chloe didn’t consciously put pressure on Adrien here, alone in her hotel, that didn’t mean that he always felt at ease with her.  She put herself under pressure, a similar pressure, to perform, to be “perfect”, or at least her idea of perfect.  Adrien knew how the self-assured smirk could melt right as they left the public eye, changing to a bored expression as she turned to her phone.  He also knew how she would poke him subtly, giving winks and inside jokes.  She had always been confident, brave, and took the lead in their adventures when they were younger. She had been a lifeline when he needed it most.

But something had changed.  Maybe it had been when she transferred to Public School, with her father wanting her to get used to being in the public eye.  That had started a divergence in their lives.  Chloe had always been headstrong, stubborn, and even spoiled.  But it wasn’t until she went to public school that she became “Chloe”, as she was today.  She didn’t walk so much as march, her heels clicking the ground ominously, her hips swaying with purpose.  And while she gave off the air of a spoiled blonde princess, Adrien knew it caused people to underestimate her, and they often learned their mistake the hard way.

What Adrien didn’t understand was _why_?  Why had Chloe changed?  Maybe it was just growing up.  Maybe it was about boys.  Maybe it was him.  Maybe this was his fault.  

He looked at Chloe, who was weighing another taste of a particularly scrumptious side dish versus the gluttony of going back for more.  Chloe finally decided to dip her finger in the dish, taking one last taste.  Then she turned back to Adrien.  “So, _Adrikins_ , how was it?”  Her resting smug face was back, but one perfectly manicured eyebrow quirked up, adding a subtle hint of meaning.

Adrien looked back at her like a sad clown.

“Adrien, are you alright?” Chloe asked, noticing his discomfort.  “Was the food terrible?”  She fidgeted angrily in her seat.  “If it was poorly made, I’ll send it back so fast their heads will spin!”

“No, Chloe,” Adrien replied in a low voice, “the food was delicious.”

Chloe pulled back.  “O-okay?  Well, that’s good, but you don’t look well.”  She stood up and reached over, feeling his forehead.  As she did so, Adrien could see down her top, and winced, looking away.

 _I hate this_ , he thought.

“Hmm, you don’t feel hot,” Chloe muttered.  “Well, I guess that’s settled.  Unless you want me to call up our staff doctor!”  Chloe grinned, a twinkle in her eye at the thought of inconveniencing others.

“No, I’m fine,” Adrien protested, joining her in standing from the table.  “I was just…thinking of something.”

“ _Oh?_ ” Chloe asked, her curiosity piqued.  

“No, it was nothing,” Adrien said.  He shrugged and smiled.

Chloe side eyed him hard.  Then she smirked.  Maybe if it was in public, she might have let it drop.  But here, in her domain, she was feeling frisky.  She held out her hands to either side, and dropped into a ready stance.

Adrien’s combat reflexes twitched, as he acknowledged her shift in attitude, but his danger sense was confused by the absolute lack of threat she posed, and his own need to modulate himself.  He settled for a confused expression, and dropping into a ready stance of his own.  “Chloe?”

“Attack!” Chloe yelled, and rushed him.  Adrien’s eyes boggled as he realized that she was actually coming straight at him, with no feints.  She was coming in low, ostensibly to avoid his reach, but it also lowered her chance of doing anything to him.  Plus, it put her in range of a knee to the face.  Adrien flinched.  _Not appropriate_.  He thought about just pushing her to the floor, but that also seemed wrong.  Her balance was off, which made this super easy, but that was its own hurdle.  

She was trying to play with him, and he needed to respond accordingly.  His mind quickly calculated ways to divert or subdue her, each discarded because…well, it was Chloe, and this was silly.  While he was still trying to figure out an appropriately playful way to counter her advance, she wrapped her arms around his waist, her head resting against his stomach.

“Got you, silly boy!” Chloe crowed.

Adrien wondered what she was going to try now.  She wasn’t exactly operating from a position of strength.  Bent over like that, she had no leverage.  He could even fall on top of her, pinning her to the ground.  The thought of pinning her to the ground, however, caused him to groan and erase the image from his mind.

“All right, prisoner, we have ways of making you talk!” Chloe smirked.

“Chloe?” Adrien asked again, before Chloe began mercilessly tickling him.  “YEEEEOOOWW!!!” Adrian screamed, jittering in place like a condemned in the electric chair.  Chloe had no concept of chill, as she went full bore on erasing Adrien’s resistances.  It wasn’t even playful, this was overkill!  

Adrien screamed with laughter, trying to pry himself away, but he was weakened.  He couldn’t even peel Chloe’s dainty manicured hands away from his body as he shivered and shook.  _‘Gotta…get...away!_ ’ Adrien thought, trying to marshal his fight or flight reflex.  But his combat instincts took one look at the situation, yawned, and left him to his own devices.

“OKAY, OKAY, CHLOE, YOU WIN, I’LL TALK!” Adrien yelped, trying to get enough air to string coherent sentences together.  But Chloe ignored him, continuing her barrage.  He couldn’t even surrender?!  It appeared that Chloe was more interested in Adrien’s comical reactions at this point.

Desperate, Adrien tried to pull away, but his weakened state, combined with Chloe staying on top of him, caused him to actually fall to the floor.  Chloe gasped involuntarily, but did not slow down.  Instead she straddled his waist, and pinned his wrists to the floor.  “ _Je gagne_ ,” she gloated.  Adrien felt the stream of laughter flowing out of him wear itself out in giggles and chuckles, leaving him gasping for air.

Now that he could think again, he blushed at the situation he found himself in.  It wasn’t strange for them, at least, it hadn’t been.  He wouldn’t have thought anything of it if Nino and the others hadn’t put it into his head.  But now…any way you looked at it, a girl on top of a boy her age, with little effective adult supervision…it wasn’t normal!

Chloe smiled in triumph over him, and he expected her to get up, now that she had made her point.  Instead, she leaned forward and got in his face, still smirking.  “All right, little _garçon_ , what were you trying to hide from me?”

Adrien groaned internally.  This wasn’t exactly the way he wanted to broach the subject.  “Okay, I’ll tell you, but can you let me up?”

“Nah uh,” Chloe replied.  “I know that excuse.  You’ll just run away if I let you up.”  Adrien could feel her warm hands on his wrists, and her light weight on his stomach.

“Look, Chloe, it’s kind of…private,” Adrien tried.  Chloe blinked at that.  “I don’t want to talk about it out here, you understand?”

Chloe paused, her smirk halfway on and halfway off her face.  Her eyes darted over his face, trying to read his expression.  

“Okay,” Chloe relented, and got off of him.  Adrien inadvertently got a look at high thigh as she did so, and groaned again.  They both got to their feet, and Chloe motioned towards the door of the dining room.  “We can go to my room.  I trust that is private enough?”  There was a strange tone in her voice.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Adrien replied, as he tried to regain his composure, while considering his dignity to be a lost cause.  Especially as he caught the serving lady from before whispering to a cooking assistant at the entrance to the kitchen.  They both looked over in his direction, before averting their gaze, and continuing their conversation.  Adrien blushed, wondering how much they had seen, and what they thought of it.

“Okay, follow me,” Chloe ordered.  Her playful demeanor was gone, replaced by a businesslike attitude.  Some might be stunned by the sudden change, but Adrien knew that these were like outfits to Chloe.  She would choose the correct one for the occasion.  And she had a good instinct for it too, if one’s objective wasn’t to be well liked by normal people.

Chloe led him out with a confident march that bordered on stomping, her hips swiveling aggressively as she power walked to her room.  Now that Chloe’s attention wasn’t on him, Adrien could more readily steel his nerves to ignore that, and instead look at the wall décor, or the Paris skyline out the window, or Chloe’s ponytail as it bounced.  _Swish, swish, swish_.

This was it.


	3. Chapter 3

“Ok, we’re alone,” Chloe announced as they entered her penthouse room. It dwarfed those of his other friends, though it was still smaller than his own room at home. Far from being boastful, the thought brought a cringe to Adrien’s mind. Even with Chloe, some things were still not equal. Chloe turned to him. “So what did you want to talk about?” Her words came out in the usual imperative style she used, almost like a command, but there was an odd tinge that Adrien could notice, though not quite identify. It made him feel uneasy.

Adrien opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He gestured with his hands helplessly, as if he could mime his question to her. Chloe arched a brow, and the corner of her mouth quirked.

“Are you all right?” Chloe asked. “You look like a cat has got your tongue.” And she licked her lips to punctuate her point.

Adrien turned scarlet at that. _Why does she have to bring_ cats _into this_? he wondered.

Chloe’s smirk faded, and an uncharacteristic look of concern took its place. “Adrien?” she began. “Are you sure you’re all right? You’re turning red.” She stepped forward to put her hand on Adrien’s forehead again. “ _Quelle horreur_! You’re burning up!” She stomped her foot. “That does it, I’m calling for the staff doctor. I won’t let you face plant from illness on _my_ watch…wait, why are you laughing?”

Adrien couldn’t hold it in anymore. It was so silly. Here Chloe was worried about his health, when the truth was a farce. He grasped Chloe’s hands to still her, but only for a moment, not trusting his composure with more. Chloe did hesitate, trying to read his eyes, but he ducked and walked towards the window, focusing on the Paris skyline. The orange and pink sunset. The Seine. It was so beautiful. Completely independent of his struggles. It soothed him.

Sufficiently emboldened, Adrien turned back to his friend, Chloe, who was staring at him in confusion. “Chloe…do you like me?”

***

Chloe scrunched her face in confusion. Her eye twitched. The corner of her mouth quivered, and she didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. So she settled for looking like she was about to sneeze.

“Chloe?” Adrien prompted.

“W-why would you ask such a question?” Chloe stammered, a look of desperation crawling across her features, while her smile tried valiantly to hold it all together. She shook her head and composed herself. “Of course I like you. We’re friends! What a silly-”

“That’s not what I meant,” Adrien interrupted. Chloe flinched.

“W-what was the question again?” Chloe asked, biding for time.

“I’m not asking if you like me, Chloe,” Adrien said calmly, moving towards her. Chloe suddenly decided the décor of the room needed her undivided attention. In a moment, Adrien was close, too close! He leaned towards her, trying to meet her gaze. If she was capable of perspiration, Chloe was sure she would be sweating under his scrutiny. “I want to know if you _like_ like me.”

An awkward breeze swept in through the open window at that phrase, and at any other time, Chloe would have immediately lost it and started mercilessly teasing Adrien for using such childish terms to talk about dating and romance. But it didn’t feel right in this situation, being as it was directed at her. So she settled for a nervous snicker that she gracefully covered with a hand. 

Adrien couldn’t fight a smile that clawed its way over his lips. Then he took a deep breath, and schooled himself back into a serious expression. That in itself made Chloe want to laugh more. Adrien taking himself so seriously was the real joke, especially with her. She got an idea as to how she could get out of this.

“Why so serious, _garçon_?” Chloe winked, as she used Adrien’s fatal tactical error, invading her personal space, against him. Her dainty hands swept to his lower back, trapping him between them and her. Adrien flinched at the familiar touch and his vulnerable position. For some reason, he started to blush, looking down at her. Chloe winked at him, then grinned a serial killer smile. Adrien blanched at that.

“Chloe?” he asked, as understanding began to dawn on his face.

“YOU FOOL!” Chloe crowed, as she, for the second time in several minutes, attacked Adrien with ferocious tickles.

“ _YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEE_!!!” Adrien screamed, his voice going a few octaves higher. Ahhh, that sound was music to her ears. Now to make him _pay_ for making her uncomfortable.

But then Adrien grabbed her wrists, hard. He pulled himself free from her grasp, almost effortlessly. “Chloe!” he barked, sounding almost… _angry_? At _her_?

“Stop dodging my question!” Adrien demanded. He was still blushing from the tickle ordeal, and he had a pouty, trying-to-be-tough expression on his face. But the tone of his voice startled her. It wasn’t like him to stand up to her like that. Chloe started to sweat.

“W-what was the question again?” Chloe asked, once again trying to feign ignorance and buy time. But Adrien had lost patience with the situation.

“Chloe, I need to know! Do! you! _like_! like! …me?” Adrien bite out each word like a drill sergeant, until the last word, which came out with far less force, and more vulnerability. Now that he had spit it out, he looked less like a boy trying to be tough, and more like just a boy.

Chloe felt the world falling away from her. She floated into space, as every point of contact faded into the distance. Vertigo was punching her in the face, and she could barely make out Adrien, standing right in front of her. She needed to act. She needed to do _something_ , take control of the situation! But her worst fears were coming true. And despite them gnawing away at her, always present, she had not yet developed any kind of ability to deal with them, other than burying them in a shallow grave by the interstate of her soul.

“…Yes.”

***

Adrien blinked. “Pardon?”

Chloe looked like she was going to cry. But then her face morphed into a semblance of normality, with a smile wriggling shyly on her face. “Yes, Adrien. I _like_ like you.” That said, her shoulders squared back, and Adrien could see the old, confident Chloe, daring the world to tell her no.

As for Adrien, he felt like Chloe had just stepped on his pet kitten in her designer, Agreste Collection, spear fisher heels. ( _Bad analogy_ , he groaned internally, thinking of Plagg.) The breath went out of him, as if she’d just laid into him with a heavyweight class body shot. 

Chloe, for her part, looked proud, even if there was a strange tinge to her expression. “Well, you wanted to know, didn’t you?” she asked. Her expression quickly changed to a sultry look, and she began stalking towards him. Her hips were sashaying even more than usual, as she cross-stepped to exaggerate the movement.

Adrien was hyper conscious of the overt and aggressive show that Chloe was putting on, and forced himself to disregard it, looking up to her face. Despite her pout, despite her heavy lidded eyes, there was a mechanical element to her behavior, a stoic grimness to her features. Was this just a challenge for her? Was even he, _Adrien_ , a quarry to be hunted and added to her collection?

***

“Stop.”

That single word cut through the defenses that Chloe had been trying to build. It wasn’t Adrien’s normal tone. It wasn’t even Adrien lowering his voice to act intimidating. It was an order, with weight and authority behind it, and it knocked Chloe out of her performance.

“Chloe…I can’t return those feelings.” 

Chloe stared mutely at the boy across from her, who was staring at the ground, gritting his teeth. Then he met her gaze, and that was somehow worse. 

“I don’t feel the same. I’m sorry.”

***

Chloe let out a gasp, and Adrien felt like mud. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn’t things have stayed the same forever? But things _had_ changed, and now he had to hurt one of his best friends. He just prayed that he could get through this and save his relationship with Chloe. The alternative…he couldn’t bring himself to consider. Not yet.

Now it was Chloe’s turn to stare at the floor. Adrien could only imagine what she was going through. He’d had a lot of experience with letting girls down, and most of the time, it didn’t really bother him. Though they would pout, cry, and sometimes beg, he couldn’t believe in their pain. They had no idea who he was, or what he was like. They were in love with an idol, and they could worship that idol for all he cared. But as the person behind that graven image, Adrien had an instinctual feel for self-preservation. Or maybe it was learned.

But Chloe was different, in a different area code, a different time zone. A whole different world. She knew the _real_ Adrien Agreste. And if things had been different, a different roll of fate, he would have cherished being with her like that. He would have wanted nothing more than to join their destinies together, permanently. A voice itched at the back of his neck, around his cerebellum, _just indulge her_. _Go with the flow_. That way, he would be sure not to lose her. And how bad could it be?

But a full body shudder interrupted his rationalizations. It wasn’t that he couldn’t justify it. Hell, it made perfect sense! Of course they could get…together. _Of course_ the children of the mayor of Paris, and a world class fashion designer, in the world capital of fashion, who had been friends since childhood, would be a praiseworthy match. 

The tabloids would eat it up. Crowds would scream! Their parents surely wouldn’t object. In fact, Adrien thought that Mr. Bourgeois was not so subtly angling for just such an outcome, and as far as his father… Adrien could sense that a girlfriend who was independently wealthy would set his mind at ease. His father had never been... _fond_ of Chloe, but he wasn’t fond of anyone. He did, however, seem to accept her hanging around the house, even with some of her eccentricities.

But...it didn’t _feel_ right. In fact, facing the idea at this moment felt like facing down his impending mortality, a creeping sense of dread seeping down his spine and into his heart. Adrien couldn’t understand. He wanted, no, _needed_ Chloe in his life. He could brook no alternative. So why was the world not working around that? He could feel the sting of unwanted tears burning his vision.

“ _Why_?”

For a moment, Adrien didn’t realize that he hadn’t been the one to speak. It had come from Chloe, an emotionless lead balloon of a question. She raised her eyes to meet his, and they were surprisingly clear.

“Adrien, I can be what you want me to be.” Keeping eye contact, she strode towards him once more. But this time, she didn’t force any suggestive motions (just the natural sway as she walked). Her aura was different, subdued, but she wasn’t crying, so Adrien took heart. 

Then Chloe shoved both hands into his chest. He almost had enough time to react, to catch himself, but he was so confused that he stumbled back, knocking against Chloe’s bed, which had somehow managed to sneak behind him. This unaccounted variable threw itself into the equation with gusto, causing Adrien to sprawl backwards onto the silk summer sheets.

Before he could take stock of the situation, Chloe had pounced into his lap, pinning him down at the edge of the bed. It seemed he was underestimating Chloe’s combat ability. A moment of hesitation had sealed his fate. She placed her hands against his chest to steady herself, and Adrien instinctively held out his hands to ward off her assault. But she didn’t move closer, and Adrien opened his eyes to see his hands on Chloe’s chest. For her part, Chloe didn’t react, but Adrien quickly moved his grip to her upper arms. Though not before a reflex squeeze that he would swear, _under oath_ , was involuntary.

Well, that horrid awkwardness aside, there was still the big picture. Chloe was perched on top of him. And she was keeping her weight low, over his lap, so that he couldn’t move for fear of… _friction_. Seeing that Chloe wasn’t going to continue trying to jump his bones (he’d had experience with such things, which was why he didn’t object to Mr. Illa’s constant presence as a deterrent), he let go of her and lay flat on the bed. His mind was racing, trying to figure a way out of this, but in this position, lying on a comfy bed, it suddenly seemed less urgent. The non-stop stress of this situation was wearing him out.

“Adrien…I can make you feel _good_ ,” Chloe purred. Adrien could merely look back up at her. The light from the ceiling shone down, making it hard to discern her expression. “ _I promise_ …You won’t regret it.” Adrien was calling in a hard credit check on that statement, but he couldn’t fight anymore. He’d thought tonight would have been as simple as straightening out any misconceptions, but this was _heavy_. Chloe felt like a bird in his lap, but the emotional weight was threatening to weigh him down to ground level, and then into the bedrock under Paris. Perhaps the Catacombs would be a decent resting place. 

_Why_? _Why_ was this happening? What had changed between them? Was this just a confusing part of life? Was love really so out of his grasp, that he couldn’t fathom this? 

Chloe started rubbing the sides of Adrien’s neck. It felt nice actually, comforting. If he closed his eyes, pretended it was anyone else, this would almost be pleasant. But facing the thought, that this was Chloe, gave him enough motivation to struggle feebly.

“Shhh…” Chloe whispered, shushing him with a finger to his lips. “I promise…to give you what you want.”

_I don’t want this_ , he thought, but he couldn’t force those words to his lips.

Chloe leaned forward, and he could only watch, as if it was happening to someone else. She could have her way with him. It was the least he could do. 

She was close now...closer. Her lips were shiny with her trademark lip gloss. This was happening, wasn’t it? Well, _c'est la vie_.

He could feel her weight shift to his chest, as she lay fully onto him, making him painfully aware of her female body. He could feel her breath on his face now. The last time he had felt that was when they hid under the covers as children, on sleepovers at the hotel, reading comics by flashlight past their bedtimes. 

One last look…her eyes were closed…she looked sad. Then he closed his eyes and accepted it. Their lips pressed together, hesitant and forward at the same time.

***

Odd. 

Adrien had expected something. Just what, he couldn’t tell. Anything really, so long as it was _something_. But there was nothing. Just two people pressing their lip flesh against each other. 

Adrien felt his heart sink. He wished there could have been something, at least for him, so that there could be some silver lining to his new life, pretending to be happy with being Chloe’s toy.

He opened his eyes, lips still pressed against Chloe’s, and was surprised to see her looking back at him. And he was especially surprised to see that she _wasn’t_ surprised. She gazed back at him with a resigned expression on her face, and his mind slipped a gear. Wasn’t this what _she_ wanted? What was with this reaction?

As he watched, their lips still pressed, Chloe’s eyes became wet, and then tears began to trail down her cheeks, dripping onto his face. Adrien tried to wrap his mind around this, as they finally pulled apart. The kiss broke with a wet _smack_ , a thin trail of saliva connecting them for a moment longer before popping.

Chloe pulled back off of him, though she was still straddling him in her short skirt. But she wasn’t giving even the pretense of her former suggestiveness. She covered her face as she sobbed, completely engrossed in tending to her own grief.

It was if a spell had been broken, and Adrien propped himself off the bed on his elbows. He was just as bewildered as he had ever been, but he felt awake now. This evening had been feeling like a bad dream, but now, he felt like reality had returned.

Adrien sat up and wrapped his arms around his friend. She was still straddling him, which was awkward, but this was more important. Chloe, in pain…it had been a long time since he’d seen her be so vulnerable. The last time had probably been...the last time her father had really gotten mad at her, which had been years ago. But the time when it had been most prevalent was, once again, back when they were kids. Back when they had just met. 

They had both been broken back then, altered by the loss of their mothers. Adrien had been consumed with his own pain, and Chloe was a source of strength and assurance for him back then. But there had been times when he would find her crying, inconsolable. It had bewildered him back then too. He’d had no experience or frame of reference to deal with it, so he would just hug her, until she broke down into sniffles and hiccups, and thanked him. Then she would go take a nap. He had just been happy to help, somehow. 

It had been years since he’d seen her like this. Years since he’d had the opportunity. But it was still all he could think of to do. Chloe tried to push his arms away weakly, but he persisted, and she relented, crying into his chest. Well, _that_ part was new.

Working together, he helped her move back, so that she could sling her leg over his body, officially ending her time straddling him. But she didn’t vacate his lap, and Adrien didn’t force it. He held her, as she leaned into him, her sobs giving way to sniffles and hiccups. They were still as close as they had been before, but with a completely different feel. This...felt right. This felt…normal. 

Adrien smiled. It really was nostalgic. But…

What now?


	4. Chapter 4

Silence reigned, one moment stretching into eternity. Adrien felt the world hold its breath. Chloe was still in his lap, quivering like a leaf. Her crying had subsided, but with that out of the way, all that was left was to address…this.

Adrien started rubbing Chloe's back, and she didn't protest. He cast his mind about for a suave way to broach this subject, but he couldn't think of one. His gut told him that if one existed, he wasn't going to find it in time.

"So…" he began, and Chloe flinched against him. Adrien hesitated. "You wanna tell me what that was about?" He restrained a chuckle at the absurdity of it all. It wasn't really funny, but it was like watching a scary movie, or defeating an akuma. The adrenaline in his veins required catharsis. Chloe got to cry. Well, _he_ wanted to laugh.

Chloe tensed in his lap, but then put her hands on her hips. "I could say the same thing. What was all that interrogation about?" She was still avoiding eye contact, but he could see the pout in her expression.

Adrien did feel a bit sheepish. He hadn't handled this situation the way he had intended to. But he could also recognize when Chloe was trying to shift blame from herself. And for all the mistakes he had made, Chloe had blown his mind with her reactions.

"Nice try Chloe, but I need to know why you decided to jump me on your bed, and try to kiss me." That was an impressive bit of denial, trying to walk back the sloppy kiss that they had shared, even though neither had enjoyed it. But if Chloe was game, he was willing to forget that it had ever happened.

Chloe fidgeted about in his grasp, and then sprang to her feet. Finally that awkward pressure on his lap was gone. Adrien forewent getting up as well, deciding to give her space. Leaning back on his hands on the edge of the bed, he watched her pace.

"Adrien, you're not being fair, you've got to let me explain myself," Chloe was off to the races already.

"How am I not being fair?" Adrien asked incredulously. "I'm sitting here listening to you. Go ahead and explain."

That took the wind out of Chloe's sails, and she just looked at him for a second. "Well, I- You see, the thing is- Uhhh…heh heh heh…" Now it was her turn to trail off and motion helplessly. Adrien couldn't hold back his smile. It was honestly funny to see her flail like this. He couldn't tell why he felt so at ease now, compared to before. He didn't know anything more than he had, at least concretely. Chloe's actions had given him a hunch. But a hunch was just that, and he needed her to say the truth.

Chloe noticed Adrien staring at her, and got even more flustered. "It's not what you think!"

"What am I supposed to think?" Adrien asked. "You turned on a dime and tried to seduce me. We almost…we could have…" He blushed and looked away at the thought. When he glanced back at Chloe, he could see that she was reacting similarly. She twiddled her fingers bashfully.

"Well, yeah, I can see how it would look like that," Chloe began. Adrien scoffed at that. She glared at him, before her expression became penitent. "I…I'm sorry for that."

Adrien sat up in surprise. "And…?"

Chloe huffed. She mumbled something under her breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Adrien asked. He needed to drag the truth out of Chloe. He knew now that something had come between them over the years, and it had led to this screwed up situation. A lot of air needed clearing, and there was no time like the present.

"I thought I was going to lose you!" Chloe spit out.

Adrien's eyes widened at the admission. It was along the lines of what he had been thinking, ever since things had calmed down, but to hear it out loud! And he still didn't know how to feel about it.

"Lose…me?" Adrien tried to work it out in his mind.

"Yes! I'm not stupid you know!" Chloe shouted. Adrien's first thought wasn't kind, and Chloe could apparently read minds because she growled at him. "Shut up!"

Adrien laughed and held up his hands. "Sorry, go on!"

Chloe glared. "This is what happens. People leave. That's how the real world works." Adrien sobered at that. "We already were spending less time together since I went to public school. I thought your dad might be looking down on me since I was a public school kid."

"I don't think he care-" Adrien began, but trailed off as he realized he couldn't say that for sure.

Chloe pushed on. "When you told me you were coming to the Collège Françoise-Dupont, I was so happy! I knew we were going to rule the school as royalty. But ever since we've been in the same class, I feel like we've been drifting apart. And I've tried reaching out, but you seem to want to spend more time with your new _prole_ friends."

Adrien held up his hand, wanting to rebuff her claims, but he didn't know where to start. With the fact that she thought she had been reaching out, her casual dismissal of his "prole" friends, or the fact that somehow, she had become queen bee bitch of the school, and she wanted him to help her in that? It was too much to deal with at once, so the best he could muster was, "Uhhhhh…"

Chloe went on. "You've been even more distant since this year started. You think you're too good for me, and you're planning your escape!" Adrien took offense to this mischaracterization, and started to speak up, but Chloe went on. As she did, her voice got more and more frantic, and Adrien stepped back from the scene, observing that Chloe wasn't talking directly to him, so much as she was venting all of her thoughts and feelings. He decided to let her finish.

"I know that people are always waiting to leave, but I can't lose you, Adrien. I knew that I'd do whatever it took to keep you. But if _that's_ what it took, it was going to break me anyway. I'm sorry, Adrien, I'm a fool. I'm a failure. You're right to abandon me. I just-"

"Chloe!"

Chloe pulled up at the outburst. Adrien stared back at her levelly. "You're none of those things. Now, will you let me speak?" Chloe nodded, even as she started to protest and waffle. "Please." Finally Chloe fell silent.

Adrien took a deep breath. He didn't really know how to start here. He wanted to take Chloe into his arms and kiss her on the forehead to calm her down. He wanted to give her a slap on the cheek. He wanted to push her out the window.

"Ok, so if I understand correctly, you thought I didn't want to be your friend anymore, is that right?" Adrien looked at Chloe. She nodded meekly.

"And how did that lead to you trying to make out with me?"

If it were possible, Adrien thought Chloe just might find a way to turn into a tomato. She heated up right before his eyes, and Adrien thought he could see steam coming out of her ears. "Well, that's because…"

"Because what?" Adrien prompted.

Chloe once again fixed him with her trademark glare. It might intimidate others, but to him it was the pout of a spoiled child. "Because that's all you guys want, after all."

Adrien groaned. "Guys aren't like that."

Chloe blinked, and then started laughing.

Adrien glared. "Fine, some guys are like that, but not all-" but Chloe raised her volume to laugh over him.

Adrien grit his teeth. "I'M NOT LIKE THAT!"

Chloe cut short, and had the decency to look guilty. But then she gave him a side glance. "Really?"

"Really!" Adrien was upset that she could still even think such a thing. He didn't think she even knew what she was saying, rather just wanting to save face.

"I bet I can prove you-"

"HOW?!" Adrien yelled.

Chloe was startled by his outburst, but stopped to think, and seemed to realize. "Oh," she mumbled, looking remorseful.

Adrien took a deep breath. He needed to get some fresh air. He sat up on the bed, running his hands through his hair, and then got to his feet. Chloe watched him. He strode past her to the balcony window. Opening the large glass doors, he stepped out into the cooling night air. It was a relief compared to the stuffiness of Chloe's bedroom.

Chloe hesitantly followed him out onto the balcony, where he leaned on the railing and looking out at the evening sky. The first stars were coming out. Adrien wondered idly if Ladybug was on patrol. He wondered what he would do if an akuma chose this moment to start chaos. He offered a swift prayer to whoever was listening, to help him make it through this night. Chloe sat down on the edge of one of the reclining sun chairs, still watching him. She had said a lot, and now it seemed she was waiting for his response.

If Adrien was honest, part of the reason he was so mad was that Chloe had been _right_ about him. Even if thinking of Chloe that way was as bad as incest to him. Even if he saw her as the sister he had never had. Even if every fiber of his conscious being was against it, he had faltered when it counted the most. He hadn't been able to push her off of him. He hadn't been able to resist. It was humiliating and shameful.

Adrien's thoughts whirled. If he thought about it, he could see where Chloe was coming from. If you drew a line from when they first met, and how inseparable they had been, until now, they were undeniably drifting apart. Part of it was that Adrien didn't like what Chloe was becoming.

Was this fate? He shook that thought away. No, that's what he had come here for in the first place. There had to be a way to rehab their friendship. In a few minutes, he and Chloe had communicated more than they had in years. It was awkward, and dangerous, but it was something. He couldn't let that progress go to waste. He had to build on that.

"Chloe, I'm going to forgive you for what happened back there," Adrien began. Chloe looked like she was going to protest, but then accepted it. He turned his head towards her. "From what you're saying, you were desperate, and you thought that you could manipulate me, through…sex."

Chloe blanched. "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds horrible."

"That's the only way I can think of _to_ put it," Adrien replied. He let out a shaky breath. "I don't condone it, but if you're telling me the truth, I can see where you were coming from."

"Adrien, I swear to you…" Chloe said. "I'm _so_ sorry…" Tears welled up in her eyes again, and her voice trembled with emotion.

Adrien sighed as he kept his face pointed towards the city. It felt so good to hear the raw honesty in Chloe's voice right now, instead of her usual rehearsed roleplay. "Ok, second, I want you to know, that I'm _not_ leaving you." He turned towards her. "You mean too much to me to ever abandon." He didn't know if that was strictly true. In fact, right now, it felt like they were on the razor's edge. But he _wanted_ it to be true, and more importantly, he wanted Chloe to believe it.

"Prove it!" Chloe reflexively shot back. Adrien gaped, and even Chloe looked a little chagrined at the impulsive statement.

"Prove it?" Adrien repeated. "What can I- What are you-"

Chloe recovered quickly. "I want you to _prove_ that you'll never leave me. That you'll never stop being my friend."

Adrien sputtered. "But that's not reasonable! I can't prove something like that."

Chloe grinned and held up her finger. "Everything in life is built on negotiation. _Quid pro quo_. I scratch your back, you scratch mine."

Adrien stared at Chloe dully. "You want me to scratch your back?"

Chloe face palmed. "Adrien, I want you to name your price. You say what you want from me, and in exchange, you'll never leave me." She stood up and walked to the railing, closer to him. She leaned on it, looking out over the city. Adrien watched her. "And it can be anything," she said as she turned her gaze side long towards him. "But you already know that."

"Chloe, stop it," Adrien glared.

"I'm serious," Chloe replied, affecting a nonchalant stance.

"Chloe-" Adrien growled.

"Adrien," Chloe shot back, her voice hard.

Adrien looked into her eyes, and he could see that she was serious. Even though she hadn't been able to bring herself to follow up on her initial advances, she really was leaving nothing off the table. And she _still_ didn't trust him. Adrien sighed.

"There is _one_ thing I want from you," Adrien began, "and I've wanted it for a while."

"Oh?" Chloe's expression contained a mixture of curiosity and dread.

"Yes," Adrien said. "I want you to be nicer to Marinette."

Chloe's face twitched in shock. "Come again?"

Adrien eyed her. "I want you to be nicer to Marinette. And Nino and Alya too."

Chloe sputtered in protest.

"Not just them either," Adrien continued. Chloe gasped. "I want you to be nicer to our other classmates too."

"Really?!" Chloe asked, scandalized. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes!" Adrien replied, not backing down. This was it. The final confrontation. She might get mad, she might hate him, but if he couldn't get through to her now, then everything they had, everything they were, it would all be for nothing. "I also want you to be nice to our teachers, and your service personnel at the hotel, and the people we meet on the street, and-"

"And _everyone_!" Chloe growled. "You're saying you want me to be nice to everyone! No exceptions!"

"Yes," Adrien said calmly. Chloe scowled back at him, trembling angrily. "I want you to be nicer to everyone, because I want you to be nicer in general. I'm not interested in excuses, or that so and so deserved it. I want you to work on being nicer to _everyone_."

"You don't get it, Adrien," Chloe growled. Adrien motioned for her to proceed. He wanted to hear this.

She glared at his faux chivalry. "Those losers, whether it's the wannabes in our class, or the plebs of the world out there," she flung her arm out at the city, "they all just want something from us. From me. From _you_." Adrien blinked at that.

"You really think they can understand what's it like to grow up like we did? Maybe I don't understand them either, but at least I don't pretend to. They see our wealth, and they get Euros in their eyes. They start drooling. If you're not careful, they'll take advantage of you, and they won't even feel _bad_ about it!"

"Chloe," Adrien held up his hands to defuse the situation, "They're not like that. At least, not all of them," he finished.

"You tell me they're not," Chloe said, "but you have no idea. Tell me you haven't dealt with it, seeing all the greedy girls and women who just want a _piece_ of you!"

Adrien flinched. "That's…different."

"How is it different?!" Chloe shrieked, her voice rising. She lowered it again. "They act insane. Like animals. And they resent us for it! Like it's my fault for being born! Like it's my daddy's fault for making money! Everyone's trying to make money, but if you're good at it, they hate you for it. Because they're jealous. And they all feel that way, even if they hide it well."

Chloe crossed her arms and cut her eyes to the side. "Well, why should I play such a rigged game? Even if some of them 'aren't like that', why should I put myself at risk?" Chloe looked back at Adrien. "I don't _need_ them! I just need _you_!"

"And I need you to be _nice_!" Adrien yelled back. Chloe pulled up, and grit her teeth. "Chloe, I don't know why you feel this way. I don't know what happened to make you so afraid." Chloe folded her arms and looked away. "Maybe we need to talk about that, later. But right now, that doesn't matter." Chloe gasped, and turned back to Adrien with a protest on her lips.

But Adrien didn't let her begin. "What matters, is that I can't _stand_ it anymore!" Chloe was once again brought up short at the uncharacteristic outburst. "Chloe," Adrien said, his voice lowering and beginning to waver. Chloe watched in shock as tears formed in her friend's eyes. "I can't stand it…to see you be so cruel." Chloe flinched. "I can't stand it, to see my friends look at you with fear and resentment. I can't stand to see that they're right!" Adrien lifted his eyes to gaze into hers. "I can't stand seeing a person I admire so much, and think of so fondly, be so cruel!"

***

Chloe froze, and tears began to well up in her vision. "Adrien…you're not being fair. I-"

"You promised," Adrien cut her off.

Chloe flinched again. What? Was Adrien really going there?

"You asked me what I wanted, and you were willing to give me _anything_ ," Adrien continued. "But you're right, I'm not being fair. I don't want your body." Chloe gazed back at him, uncertain and tentative. Adrien looked down for a moment before meeting her eyes. "I want your soul."

If she were watching this on a movie, Chloe might have laughed. Or she might have thought it was _so romantic_. But in this moment, facing the full brunt of her friend's stare, it hit her like a punch in the face. Her legs lost their strength and began shaking. She actually had to grab onto the railing to steady herself. This wasn't something she could argue against. This wasn't something she could threaten or cajole or flirt with. Adrien knew her too well for that.

And Adrien was putting it all on the line. As desperate as she had been before, it had come from an irrational fear. Maybe deep down, some part of her had questioned the truth. But not now. Now, every fiber of her being was looking into the maw of hell. A hell of not having Adrien in her life. She couldn't even begin to measure how important he was to her, and losing him was not an option. But what he was asking…

"You…really won't be satisfied with anything less than my total surrender, will you?" Chloe asked, her voice low and listless. She had been beaten. Adrien wasn't playing fair, but it looked like he knew that. So that's how this was going to be.

Adrien nodded grimly. "I need it."

Chloe flinched at that phrase. "You _need_ it?" she repeated.

Adrien nodded again. There wasn't an ounce of mirth in his expression. Chloe could only look on in wonder. When had Adrien changed so much? As it was, she knew that she was going to do her best to give him what he wanted.

_Give in. You don't need to fight anymore. Trust him._

***

Chloe was looking at her feet. Adrien could feel the tension in every muscle of his body. This was it, the final moment. They were standing on that razor's edge, and everything was out of his control. He had said all he could, even played dirty to force her hand. He had used every tool he could that might work. Now it was up to Chloe. She could choose to throw everything he had said right back into his face, and if she did, he didn't think that he would ever be able to match the pain, even when his mother had died.

That had been a twist of fate, awful though it was. He couldn't have done anything about it. And even though his mother was gone, he knew that she had loved him. But this, here, now…if Chloe rejected his words, she would be rejecting _him_ , in the most personal way. If Chloe reacted badly here, it would mean that everything, everything they had ever gone through, everything they had ever shared, would be ashes. That whole part of his life, where she had been arguably the most important person in it (depending on how he felt about his father), would be burned away, leaving exposed sections and rubble down to his core. _Why_ , why did anyone care so much about someone else, if they could be this vulnerable? Chloe could deal him a mortal blow right now, and he doubted she even knew it.

Chloe slowly raised her gaze back to his. It was hesitant and vulnerable, though Adrien couldn't bring himself to try to decipher it. "All right, you win," she said, low and monotone.

It took Adrien a moment to process that. "Huh?"

Chloe blushed. "I said, 'you win.' You get your wish."

Adrien was hearing her words, but he still couldn't believe them. "What is my wish?"

Chloe pouted. "You're such a sore winner! You said that you wanted me to be nicer. Well…" She folded her arms and looked away again. "Ok, then. If that's what it takes, then…I'll work on it." She turned back to him, as he began to open his mouth for another question. "I _promise_. I will keep my end of the bargain, so you keep yours!" She shot him an accusing look.

"Uhhh…" Adrien couldn't believe his ears. "That's great, Chloe!" he replied, a smile breaking out over his face.

"Yeah!" Chloe affirmed, her trademark smirk returning for the first time in a while. "Now to seal the deal!"

"Huh?" Adrien sputtered, as Chloe darted her hand out, grabbing his. Before he knew what was happening, she had linked her pinky finger with his. He looked at her face, and she was grinning like a master negotiator. An awkward breeze blew past them at that moment. _So childish_ , Adrien cringed.

"Well, now that's settled," Chloe said, running her hand through her ponytail like nothing had happened. Adrien was still a little shell shocked, and he wondered how she could act so blasé. "Are you happy now?" she asked, grinning a cheeky smile.

Adrien was aghast that she could turn around and act like she was doing _him_ a favor, after everything she had said and done. Part of him wanted to call her out, but a feeling of joy rose up and overwhelmed him. "YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!" he shouted into the night sky, startling Chloe as he jumped her in a bear hug.

"Ack, Adrien, control yourself!" Chloe protested, laughing despite herself.

"Nope!" Adrien replied, laughing joyfully. "I've never been so worried in my whole life!"

Chloe returned the hug, as she looked into Adrien's eyes. "Oh Adrien, you don't have to worry. I will never leave you, I promise." Adrien could hear the honesty in her voice.

"I know Chloe," Adrien laughed, nuzzling her. "And I would never leave you."

***

The awkward breeze returned.

"Adrien, what are you saying?!" Chloe gaped. "You're throwing away all of your _leverage_!"

Adrien laughed. "Chloe, you should know me better by now. Or if not, then just trust me." He held her closer, his arms wrapping around her waist, and hers coming to rest on his shoulders. He looked her in the eye, as she blushed. This was so intimate. It had been a long time.

"You are a precious person to me," Adrien said. Chloe flinched and blushed at the openness and honesty that he had effortlessly put into that statement. "But I _will_ hold you to your promise," he said, raising her chin so that he could look into her eyes again.

Chloe wanted to flinch away from the intensity of his gaze…but instead she smiled, leaning into it. "You got it, _garçon_." This wasn't so bad. Losing could be fun too.

Adrien chuckled, and Chloe laid her head on his shoulder, as they swayed to a silent beat. As the stars grew brighter, and the moon shone overhead, Chloe thought back on everything that had just happened. Despite everything, this was the happiest night she could remember in a long time.


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe is like a sister to Adrien. But does _Ladybug_ know that?

_Man, it’s been a while.  Maybe I should check on them?  Maybe Chloe got intense and Adrien needs someone to rescue him?_

Ladybug shook the intrusive thoughts out of her head.  Since school had let out, she hadn’t been able to relax.  Nino had told Alya, and by extension Marinette, about the plan he and Adrien had come up with.  While it sounded forthright on the surface, Marinette had a bad feeling about it.  Boys were so straightforward, but she didn’t think Chloe would be swayed so easily.  

Marinette had been impressed by Adrien’s feeling for Chloe.  It had been a surprise to her that anyone could see the blonde queen bee in such a positive light.  But she knew that if anyone could see the good in others, it was her boyfriend to be- crush- _friend_!  Just friends!  He was amazing, in every way.  

But that didn’t mean that Chloe was _actually_ that good.  Whatever Adrien’s experiences with Chloe, Marinette had seen the other, very real, very cruel side of her personality.  And while Chloe usually treated Adrien differently, and marginally better than she did the rest of the class (and world), Marinette didn’t trust that to last through a confrontation on the scale of what they had planned.

Whatever Adrien thought, Marinette could see through Chloe.  That girl was thirsty!  Always hanging over Marinette’s man- uh, Adrien, as though she had no shame!  “Ha!” Ladybug laughed.  Shame…she doubted Chloe even knew the meaning of the word.

So here she was, patrolling the city of Paris, trying to let out her tensions.  She didn’t really want to deal with an Akuma right now, but if there was a run of the mill mugger or something, she could get out some frustrations.

She found herself circling back to the _Le Grand_.  As she approached, Chloe’s penthouse room was on the other side.  If she made her way over, she could probably look in, and maybe even hear what they were talking about.

Ladybug shook her head.  _Ugh, I may be boy crazy for Adrien, but I’ve got standards_!  Besides, she couldn’t trust herself not to hog tie Chloe, and that wasn’t an impression she wanted to leave on either of them, especially as Ladybug.

_Fine_ , she shrugged, swinging past the building.  She needed to get home anyway.  Staying here any longer wasn’t going to do her any good.

As she passed the hotel, she spotted a flash of gold coming out the back service entrance.  She instinctively did a double take, and amazingly, it was Adrien and Chloe!  

Ladybug didn’t remember how she got there, but she found herself on a nearby fire escape, hiding behind a potted plant.  A voice in her mind berated her for such unseemly behavior, but the rest of her easily shouted that down.  As she watched, she could see Adrien and Chloe walk out together, Chloe holding onto Adrien’s gentlemanly arm.  Ladybug felt her heart skip a beat.  

What was going on here?  This wasn’t how they usually acted!  Well, it was how Chloe usually acted, but this time, Adrien was…smiling?  And it looked real, not like the mask he usually wore out in public.  As Ladybug tried to hear what they were talking about, Chloe laid her head on Adrien’s shoulder (!), and Adrien laughed (!!!).  

***

“Gurk!”

Adrien and Chloe looked around.  “Did you hear that?” Chloe asked.  Ladybug had pulled back behind the potted plant she was using as cover.

“Yeah, I did,” Adrien replied, getting in front of Chloe.

Chloe huffed.  “Adrien!  Don’t get any weird ideas!  If you think there’s something there, I’ll call security in an instant.  Don’t put yourself in danger!”

Adrien flinched.  “Whoops, you’re right.  Sorry about that,” he said, laughing bashfully, even as his eyes continued scanning the back alley.  “Let’s go, Chloe.  Mr. Illa is bringing the limo around.  We will drop you off at the front entrance.”

“Okay- hey, look!  It’s Ladybug!”  Adrien’s serious reaction had prompted Chloe to look around as well.  But while Adrien focused his sweep on the nearby area and potential threats, Chloe had looked up at the surrounding buildings.  While that was a statistically unlikely place for a threat (although maybe not so much in a city with Superheroes and Akuma), in this case, it allowed her to spot Ladybug’s spots and red outfit among the greenery.  Adrien gasped and whirled to look where Chloe was pointing.

***

Ladybug groaned.  How could this happen?  She didn’t want to be found out here, stalking, no, watching, no, patrolling _randomly_ and _randomly_ happening upon them.  But if she tried to hide now, that would seem even weirder.  She had to act.

Ladybug leaped out of hiding, striking a pose.  Then she perched on the railing of the fire escape, peering off into the distance, which wasn’t very distant, seeing as she was currently in the alley between the Le Grand and some ritzy boutiques.  Then, she looked down, as if noticing Adrien and Chloe for the first time.  “Oh, hello there, citizens!  I didn’t see you there.  I was just on patrol.”

Ladybug hoped they would buy that, but both Chloe and Adrien seemed to have stars in their eyes.  Chloe grabbed Adrien’s shoulder and shook him, while Adrien couldn’t stop smiling.  “This is so awesome!” Chloe squealed, to Adrien, to Ladybug, and to no one in particular.

“H-hello, Ladybug,” Adrien said, stammering cutely.  Ladybug felt a pang in her heart.  She resisted the urge to leap down and cover him in red and black spotted kisses.  It wasn’t the first time she had wanted to use her secret identity to make a move on the boy she liked.  After all, Ladybug was the hero of Paris (along with Cat Noir), and everyone loved her.  It stood to reason that Ladybug’s chances were much higher than Marinette’s.  But Ladybug shook her head in resolve.  She couldn’t do that.  Ladybug needed to be a pure hero.  Love and lust could not be involved.  It just wasn’t heroic.

It was kind of awkward to talk down to them from the balcony, when all Ladybug wanted to do was scream at Chloe to know what she thought she was doing.  But that was the exact reason.  If she got closer, they might see how she was trembling.  And she needed to be able to make her escape if necessary.  Dealing with personal friends and acquaintances was a fine line if you were a hero, especially one with a secret identity.  While she wouldn’t let that get in the way of doing her job, it didn’t pay to take unnecessary risks.

“Ladybug, Ladybug,” Chloe called, “come up to my penthouse!  We can relax and order room service!  And take selfies together!”  Ladybug groaned.  That sounded almost as fun as a visit to the dentist.  “And we can take some with Adrien too!”  

Adrien blushed, and Ladybug felt her heart skip a beat.  She coughed and pounded her chest.

Adrien and Chloe looked concerned.  “Are you all right, Ladybug?” Adrien asked.

Ladybug held up her hand as she cleared her throat.  “Yes, I’m fine.  I just had some water go down the wrong pipe.”  What was she saying?

Chloe nodded.  “Ooo, I hate it when that happens!  It usually happens when I’m really mad at someone or when I’m…”  Ladybug let Chloe’s blathering fade into white noise.

“Chloe, be more polite!” Adrien admonished, placing his hand on the small of Chloe’s back.  It had a magnetic effect on Ladybug’s pupils, as she couldn’t help focusing on the sight.  “Ladybug probably has something very important that she’s doing right now.”  He turned to her, and Ladybug had to school her expression to avoid gawking.  “Right, Ladybug?  Is there an akuma?  Or some other crime?”  

As Adrien questioned her, his eyes swept back and forth, looking for threats.  Ladybug wanted to giggle.  It was cute that he thought he could help, but most civilians just needed to cover in place, if there really was a threat like that.  Not that she counted it against him.  It was proof that he was a gentleman worthy of admiration.

Still, it was a bit of a let down to just say, “No, I’m just ending my patrol.”  She shrugged anticlimactically.  “Getting ready to call it a night.”

“Oh,” Adrien said, and Ladybug wondered if she should have pretended that she had something interesting going on.  But then Adrien blushed and smiled.  “If that’s the case, maybe it would be fun to…hang out for a little?”  His face was turning cherry.

Chloe gaped at Adrien, and then beamed.  “YES!  Ladybug, you have to come up!  We’ll have cake, maybe get a pedicure, talk superhero shop, and of course, take lots of pictures to commemorate the occasion!”

Ladybug had to turn away to hide the tears that sprung to her eyes.  Must…resist!  Chloe was making it easier, but it was almost worth it to put up with her odious personality if she could bask in the presence of her prince- uh, friend, Adrien.

“I’m…sorry,” Ladybug said, and it was oh so true.  “It sounds fun,” now for an excuse, never mind that Ladybug didn’t really _need_ an excuse.  Marinette _did_.  Then she had a great idea.  Two birds with one stone!  “But wouldn’t that be intruding on your… _date_?”  Ladybug thought she did a good job at feigning ignorance and affecting nonchalance.  In truth, her world shrunk to the size of this moment in time.

Chloe and Adrien looked at each, and blushed.  Ladybug felt her heart crush to the size of a grape.  Time seemed to slow.  Then Chloe and Adrien both burst into laughter.  Ladybug felt all of her tension wash away, to be replaced with confusion.  There were a lot of ways she could have imagined this going, but this wasn’t one of them.

“I’m-I’m sorry, Ladybug!” Adrien sputtered, as tears of mirth sprang to his eyes.

“Y-yeah, this isn’t us laughing at you!” Chloe added, resting her arm on Adrien’s back as he bent over, hands on knees, both of them still laughing.

Ladybug stiffened.  This was so strange.  She couldn’t help feeling she was missing out on crucial information.

Adrien stood back up, wiping the tears from his eyes as he still chuckled.  Chloe was pressing her face into Adrien’s back as she laughed, holding onto him from behind.  Ladybug felt the normal twinge, but it was overcome by her confusion.  Were they an item or not?  They were acting very different from how they had, even this morning.  But something still didn’t add up.

“No, no, it’s nothing like that,” Adrien said.  Chloe finally trusted herself to come out of hiding from behind Adrien.  “We’re just very, very, _very_ good friends.”  Adrien looked at Chloe and smiled.  And she smiled back.

“ _Eh_?!” Ladybug squawked.  Then she covered her mouth, mortified at the noise she had just made.

Adrien and Chloe looked at her, but didn’t comment.  “Yep, Ladybug, that’s how it is,” Chloe said.  “Adrien is…” she looked at him, “family.”  

Adrien smiled back at her.  “Yeah…family.”

Ladybug cocked her head in confusion.  Family?  The obvious answer was that they were _like_ family, but the way they said it left room for doubt.  Had they found out that they shared a parent?!  Maybe Chloe’s mom had left her dad, the mayor, for Adrien’s dad, or maybe she had two secret families and was found out and had to flee the country?  Or maybe it was Adrien’s dad who had an affair with Chloe’s mom, and the mayor had her arrested, and Adrien’s mom had died of grief?

Ladybug shook her head.  ‘Get a hold of yourself,’ she growled internally.  All of those ideas were… _improbable_?

Chloe giggled.  “Why do you ask, Ladybug?  Are you jealous of _moi_?”  She covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed coyly.  Ladybug felt the dagger go through her heart.  “Or perhaps you are jealous of Adrien?”  Chloe laughed again, a bit higher pitched.  Ladybug groaned internally.  Chloe was going to wear her out at this rate.

Adrien blushed and patted Chloe on the shoulder.  “Stop teasing Ladybug!  She doesn’t have time for your games.”

Chloe blushed too, but laughed it off.  “Nonsense, Ladybug and I are good friends, right Ladybug?”

Ladybug groaned.  A part of her wanted to take Chloe down a peg or two, but just like she couldn’t agree with the idea of using her pseudo-celebrity status to woo Adrien, it would be a grave misuse of her powers and identity as Ladybug to pursue petty grudges.  She might not like Chloe, but she could at least be the bigger person.

“Right…” Ladybug mumbled.  Then she perked up.  “In the way that I am friend to all citizens of Paris!”

Adrien lit up.  “Ladybug, you are the best!”

Chloe’s own smile fell into a scoff.  “Right, but you and I have a _special_ relationship.  You personally rescue me from Akumas, and in turn, I am your biggest, highest profile fan.”  She smiled sweetly.

Before Ladybug could reply, Adrien cut in.  “I don’t know about that,” he mumbled.

“Adrien!” Chloe whined, pummeling him playfully on the back.  “Don’t tease me in front of Ladybug!”  Adrien laughed.

Ladybug could only watch, wondering what was going on.  They were so playful and close, in a way she had never seen them act.  If they were thinking of each other as siblings, then it would make sense.  But she would have to see about that later.  Right now, she had gotten her answer, and she had covered her own tracks.  Now she needed to make her escape before anything else could blow her cover.

Ladybug cleared her throat.  “Well, it was nice talking with you,” she said.  Adrien and Chloe straightened up and smiled at her.  Ladybug was momentarily taken aback by the amount of pretty blonde smiling at her.  “It’s nice to see evidence of why I fight.”  She smiled, nodding to each of them, and swung off.

“Farewell, Ladybug!” Adrien called out, and his voice, directed at her so earnestly, sent a shiver down her spine.

“Did you hear that, Adrien?” Ladybug heard Chloe say.  “Ladybug said that she’ll fight for me!”  Ladybug groaned as she heard Adrien start to question Chloe’s interpretation.  But she perked up again, as the cool night wind blew past her body, cooling her off and making her feel alive, as she left the presence of her crush.

_Hmmm_ , _so it looks like Adrien was right after all_ , Ladybug thought.  _He and Chloe do think of each other as family.  Well, something changed, that’s for sure, since I can’t remember Adrien acting so comfortable around Chloe before.  If they had said they were going to start dating, I wouldn’t have been surprised._ Devastated _, yes, but not surprised._

_I wonder_ …she hesitated to put it into words.  _Maybe now is the time for Marinette to make her feelings for Adrien known_? _If Chloe is no longer a romantic rival_ , _if she ever was_ , _could there be a better time to take that leap_?  Ladybug blushed, and squealed into the night wind.  It was only her cool Ladybug persona that stopped her from spazzing out.  _I’ve got to try_! _I can’t just fawn over him forever_.

Ladybug nodded to herself.  _Yes_ , _I will watch Chloe and Adrien at school to make sure of their relationship_ , _but I’ll need to look for an opportunity to get Adrien alone and tell him_ … _how I feel_.  Aside from Chloe, Ladybug didn’t know of any significant women in Adrien’s life that could derail her.  So it would be a fair playing field.  _Unless_ … _that woman_ , _his father’s PA_ …

Ladybug felt an involuntary twinge.  No, that was silly.  She was old enough to be his mother.  It would be more likely that Adrien’s father was having a bit of hanky panky with the help.  Ladybug giggled at the naughty thought.  Now that was something she could never share, not even with Cat Noir.  No one would respect her again.  Ladybug laughed out loud, enjoying the thrill of swinging through the night air effortlessly, and planned her approach to Adrien.


End file.
